All that is Solid … is a radical blog that seeks to promote a future beyond capital's social universe. "All that is solid melts into air" (Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, 'The Communist Manifesto', 1848).

MARXISM AND EDUCATION: FRAGILITY, CRISIS, CRITIQUE, NEGATIVITY, AND SOCIAL FORM(S)

This is a paper I prepared for the International Conference on Critical Education VIII, University of East London, Stratford Campus, 25 – 28 July 2018. The Abstract is below, and the paper itself can be viewed at Academia and at ResearchGate.

Glenn Rikowski

ABSTRACT

Why Marxism? Why Marxist educational theory? Through addressing these questions, this paper proclaims the importance of Marxism as a theory that intellectually disrupts and ruptures capitalist society and its educational forms. With reference to the work of John Holloway, it is argued that the significance of Marxism resides in its capacity to pinpoint fragilities and weaknesses in the constitution of capital. Grasping these fragilities in the rule of capital in contemporary social life sharpens the critical edge of any politics aimed at social transformation. Marxist educational theory plays an important role in this enterprise. These points are illustrated through consideration of the following ideas and phenomena: fragility, crisis, critique, negativity and social form(s). It is argued that fragility must be the starting point as Marxism is primarily a theory of capitalist weaknesses, and not the opposite: a theory of capitalist domination. Following Holloway, Marxism is a theory against society, rather than just another mainstream theory of society. Against Holloway, it is argued that the forms that fragilities for labour take also need to be understood. Paradoxically, our strength vis-à-vis capital is also the place for apprehending the fragilities and dependencies of labour. This vicious duality also exists in terms of crises in capitalism, and this flows into the phenomena of critique and negativity too. Finally, on the basis of this theorisation, the doors of capitalist hell are opened through a consideration of social forms in general and commodity forms in particular and their relations to educational processes and institutions. It is at this point that Marxist educational theory enters the stage, although in a transfigured form. In 1997, I wrote an article for the British Journal of Sociology of Education called ‘Scorched Earth: Prelude to Rebuilding Marxist Educational Theory’. Twenty-one years later, this paper can be viewed as my definitive first element in a programme of rebuilding Marxist educational theory.

This paper argues that attempts to understand commodification in education and educational research without recourse to the greatest thinker on commodity forms – Karl Marx – inevitably leads to confusion and misrepresentation in educational theory. This is demonstrated through a critique of a recent paper by David Bridges (2017) where he focuses on commodification in education research. By ignoring the ideas of Marx, but also contemporary Marxist theorists writing on the commodity and commodification, Bridges fails to make crucial distinctions in the analysis of commodification, and also conflates and confuses concepts and their corresponding phenomena that should be kept separate. In the event, Bridges, and other mainstream educational theorists who avoid reference to Marx and Marxist theory, end up creating a host of misrepresentations in their analyses of educational commodification. Such approaches camouflage the capitalisation of education; that is, educational institutions ‘becoming capital’, the becoming of capital. These theorisations are superficial and politically misleading.

Glenn Rikowski @ ResearchGate

I have had many articles, papers, reports, presentations and teaching documents at Academia for some years now. But for the last year I have built up my collection of papers, articles etc. at ResearchGate.

Misrepresentations: Critical Notes on Commodities and Education

This is a paper I wrote in response to a presentation I went to at the 2017 Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB) Annual Conference at Oxford, by David Bridges.

The paper was completed on 3rd October 2017, at is now available at Academia.

ABSTRACT

This paper argues that attempts to understand commodification in education and educational research without recourse to the greatest thinker on commodity forms – Karl Marx – inevitably leads to confusion and misrepresentation in educational theory. This is demonstrated through a critique of a recent paper by David Bridges (2017) where he focuses on commodification in education research. By ignoring the ideas of Marx, but also contemporary Marxist theorists writing on the commodity and commodification, Bridges fails to make crucial distinctions in the analysis of commodification, and also conflates and confuses concepts and their corresponding phenomena that should be kept separate. In the event, Bridges, and other mainstream educational theorists who avoid reference to Marx and Marxist theory, end up creating a host of misrepresentations in their analyses of educational commodification. Such approaches camouflage the capitalisation of education; that is, educational institutions ‘becoming capital’, the becoming of capital. These theorisations are superficial and politically misleading.

CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS AND EDUCATION IN SWEDEN: A MARXIST ANALYSIS OF REVOLUTION IN A SOCIAL DEMOCRACY

By Alpesh Maisuria

Senior Lecturer at the University of East London, Cass School of Education & Communities, United Kingdom

Routledge (December 2017)

OUTLINE:

Emerging from a Marxist perspective, this book focuses on the importance of social class and the role of education broadly in relation to the possibility of revolutionary change in Sweden and beyond. Critically tracing the celebrated so-called ‘Swedish model’ from its inception to its current neoliberalisation, Maisuria explores the contours of class as part of social democratic history, culture and education, especially against the alternatives of communism and fascism. Presenting empirical research on class consciousness within a higher education context, Maisuria analyses student testimonies on their perceptions of social democracy and ‘Swedishness’ with ethno-racial dynamics, which is subjected to a Gramscian and Critical Realist derived explanatory critique for social transformation

EDUCATION CRISES AS CRISES FOR CAPITAL

By Glenn Rikowski

This is the second of my two papers prepared for the International Seminar for Public Pedagogies on Crisis and Education at the University of East London (Stratford Campus) for 21st February 2018.

The paper shifts the focus on education crisis from a concern with crisis in education as an attack on public, state-financed education towards education crises education as crises for capital, for capitalist development.

EDUCATION, EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS – MIKE COLE – BOOK LAUNCH

Professor Mike Cole, is a Professor of Education at the University of East London, UK

This event will be held at: The Cass School of Education and Communities, Room RB.G.13, Stratford Campus, University of East London, Water Lane, London, E15 4LZ

On: 31 January 2018, at 17.00-19.00

The fourth edition of Education, Equality and Human Rights has been fully updated to reflect the economic, political, social and cultural changes in educational and political policy and practice, as austerity continues and in the light of the EU referendum. Written by a carefully selected group of experts, each of the five equality issues of gender, ‘race’, sexuality, disability and social class are covered as areas in their own right as well as in relation to education.

Key issues explored include:

Human rights, equality and education

Women and equality, historically and now

Gender and education perspectives throughout time

Racism in the UK from the Empire to the present

Racism and education from imperial times to the May government

The making and remaking of sexualities

The challenges surrounding teaching and learning about sexuality in schools

The struggle for disability equality

Inclusive education

Social class, Marxism and socialism

Social class inequality and education.

With an uncompromising and rigorous analysis of education and human rights and a foreword from Professor Peter McLaren, Education, Equality and Human Rights is an essential resource across a wide range of disciplines and for all those interested in education, social policy and human rights.

Mike Cole is Professor of Education at the University of East London, UK.

Simon Forrest is Professor of Social Sciences in Medicine and Head of the School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Health at Durham University. He has a background in school teaching and research related to young people’s sexual lifestyles, risks, relationships and identities. He has co-authored a book supporting teaching about homosexuality in the context of schools, Talking About Homosexuality in the Secondary School (AVERT, 1997), and has since published numerous papers and other articles in the field of young people’s sexual attitudes and lifestyles. He is Chair of the Board of Trustees at AVERT, a leading global AIDS charity, and contributes to local and national initiatives aiming to support boys and young men.

Jane Kelly taught Art History and Women’s Studies at Kingston University until she retired in 2002. Since then she has been involved in Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers which has three day centres, each open one day a week. In addition, she has recently rejoined the Labour Party.

Alpesh Maisuria is a Senior Lecturer with an expertise in social class and educational policy. His current research is based on the neoliberalisation of education in England, drawing upon Marxism and critical realism to understand these developments as ideologically driven. He also has an interest in Swedish social democracy and communism and education policy. He is also Deputy Editor of the Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies (JCEPS).

Jane Martin is Professor of Social History of Education at the University of Birmingham. Her first book, Women and the Politics of Schooling in Victorian and Edwardian England, won the History of Education Society (UK) Book Prize in 2002. She has published widely in various international journals in the field of gender and education, history of education, sociology of education and women’s history. She is joint editor of the Routledge Progressive Education Series. Her most recent book is Making Socialists: MaryBridges Adams and the Fight for Knowledge and Power, 1855–1939 (Manchester University Press, 2013). Future publications include Gender and Education in England since 1770: A social history to be published in the Palgrave Macmillan Gender and Women’s History Series in 2018; and a biography of author, teacher and socialist Caroline Benn (1926–2000).

Peter McLaren is Distinguished Professor in Critical Studies, College of Educational Studies, Chapman University, where he serves as Co-Director of the Paulo Freire Democratic Project and International Ambassador for Global Ethics and Social Justice. He is also Honorary Chair Professor at Northeast Normal University, China, where he serves as Honorary Co-Director of the Center for Critical Pedagogy Research. Professor McLaren is the author and editor of 45 books, and his writings have been translated into 30 languages.

Richard Rieser is a disabled teacher, trainer, writer, speaker, campaigner, film maker, and an international advocate/consultant for inclusive education and disability equality in many countries around the world. He runs World of Inclusion Ltd (www.worldofinclusion.com). As a disabled teacher, Richard taught for 25 years in primary, secondary, FE, and lastly as an Advisory Teacher for Inclusion in the London Borough of Hackney. After this he became full-time Director of the charity Disability Equality in Education, which trained over 120,000 education professionals. All Richard’s work is prompted by disability equality, inclusion and the social model of disability. Richard was UKDPC representative at the Ad hoc Committee framing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. He is author of the only handbook on implementing Article 24: Inclusive Education, for the Commonwealth. He has held many positions, including UK Rep on the European Disability Forum from 2004 to 2012, Chair of the Alliance for Inclusive Education and Vice Chair of Council for Disabled Children for 12 years and on various UK government committees. He is Coordinator of UK Disability History Month (www.ukdhm.org). Recently, World of Inclusion won an award at the Zero Conference, 2016 for a series of anti-disablist bullying films

PRIVATISATION IN EDUCATION AND COMMODITY FORMS @ ACADEMIA AND RESEARCHGATE

My article, Privatisation in Education and Commodity Forms (Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, Volume 15 Number 3, December 2017, pp.29-56) is now available at Academia and at ResearchGate.

To date research and scholarship on privatisation in education lacks critical depth and intensity. Stock concerns occupy contributions to the field: the effects of privatisation in education on teachers’ labour, pay and conditions of service; educational expenditure; resultant problems of planning at local and national levels; corruption (systemic, and by teachers); and on the curriculum and pedagogy. Additionally, many accounts have been largely descriptive, focusing on how privatisation takes place, or on threats to privatisation, or its insertion within education systems. Many case studies have been undertaken in this light, with sectoral, country-wide and local cases. There has been less emphasis on why privatisation in education occurs. Resistance to educational privatisation has been another common theme. Finally, work on educational commodification has been substantially dissociated from studies on privatisation in education. This paper builds on this last point. Writing and research on privatisation in education has largely avoided what it represents and calls forth: the development of capital, the deeper capitalisation of education. Furthermore, discussion on educational privatisation typically ignores its implication in the social production of labour-power. Therefore, with reference to Karl Marx, this contribution drives the critique of privatisation in education forward by focusing on commodity form(s) in education and their relations to the capitalisation of educational services. Consequently, the points of resistance to privatisation in education are sharpened as anti-capitalist weapons.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CRITICAL EDUCATION VIII

University of East London, Stratford, London, England

25th – 28th July 2018

Critical Education and Activism Against Neoliberalism / Authoritarian Neoconservatism in Education, State and Society

The International Conference on Critical Education (ICCE), previously held in Athens (2011, 2012), Ankara (2013), Thessaloniki (2014), Wroclaw, Poland (2015), London (Middlesex University) (2016) and Athens (2017) is a forum for scholars, educators and activists committed to social and economic justice. The 8th ICCE: Critical Education and Activism Against Neoliberalism/ Authoritarian Neoconservatism in Education, State and Society will take place at University of London (UEL), London, 25-28 July 2018.

At a time of economic crisis, when education is under siege by neoliberal capitalism and by neo-conservatism and aggressive nationalism, when teachers and academics are being proletarianized, youth criminalized, civilised and caring societies being stripped of welfare and benefits and rights, schools and universities turned into commodities, at such a time, critical education, as a theory and as a movement, as praxis, is clearly relevant. International communities of critical educators and activists are working together, and with other movements, to build active resistance to these processes and are engaged in fostering educational and social change leading to a more just, equal and fair society.

The current economic, social, and political crisis, that has been ongoing for 30 years, is manifesting more deeply in education on a global scale. The crisis- part of, and resulting from, dominant neoliberal and neoconservative politics that are implemented and promoted internationally as ‘the only solution’, under the slogan ‘there is no alternative’ (TINA), have substantially redefined the sociopolitical and ideological roles of education. Public education is shrinking. It loses its status as a social right. It is projected as a mere commodity for sale while it becomes less democratic, de-theorised, de-critiqued.

Understanding the causes of the crisis, the particular forms it takes in different countries and the multiple ways in which it influences education, constitute important questions for all those who do not limit their perspectives to the horizon of neoconservative, neoliberal and technocratic dogmas. Moreover, the critical education movement has the responsibility to rethink its views and practices in light of the crisis, and in the light of social, political and educational resistance in different countries – and the paths that this crisis opens for challenging and overthrowing capitalist domination worldwide.

The International Conference on Critical Education (ICCE) – regularly attended by between 300 and 400 participants, provides a vibrant and egalitarian, non-elitist, platform for scholars, educators, activists, students and others interested in critical education and in contesting the current neo-liberal/ neo-conservative/ nationalist hegemony, to come together and engage in a free, democratic and productive dialogue. At this time of crisis when public education is under siege by neoliberalism, neo-conservatism and nationalism, we invite you to submit a proposal and to attend the Conference. We especially welcome new and emerging scholars / scholar-activists.